Tony Burke MP: Save Australia's FIRST and OLDEST town square from destruction

Thompson Square, dating from 1795, is the oldest civic space in Australia. It is the heritage heart of Windsor, the third-oldest place of British settlement in Australia. Windsor is about an hour and a half from Sydney's CBD. The NSW Government plans to demolish the existing historic Windsor Bridge and replace it with a high, modern bridge structure. Their plan, known as Option One, includes bulldozing a major arterial approach road through Thompson Square. The Government has declared the project to be State Significant Infrastructure (application SSI-4951). This means that heritage and environmental protections are effectively 'switched off' for this project. Thompson Square is an important part of the shared Australian story and our nation's history. It is a rare, tangible example of our colonial origins. Its survival affects ALL Australians. An alternative, such as a town bypass, must be considered in preference to this disaster. The signatories of this petition therefore urgently call upon the Australian Government to act to protect this nationally important site, to ensure its preservation and protection for future generations.

***NOTE*** If you signed our paper petition addressed to the NSW Legislative Assembly we also need you to sign this one too! Our online petition targets the Federal Government. We want the whole of Australia behind Thompson Square!

This petition was delivered to:

Tony Burke MP

Letter to

Tony Burke MP

Subject: Save Australia's first and oldest town square from destruction.

I just signed a petition calling on Tony Burke MP to act to protect Thompson Square and to ensure its preservation and protection for future generations.

Thompson Square, dating from 1795, is the oldest civic space in Australia. It is the heritage heart of Windsor, the third-oldest place of British settlement in Australia. Windsor is about an hour and a half from Sydney's CBD. The NSW Government plans to demolish the existing historic Windsor Bridge and replace it with a high, modern bridge structure. Their plan, known as Option One, includes bulldozing a major arterial approach road through Thompson Square. The Government has declared the project to be State Significant Infrastructure (application SSI-4951). This means that heritage and environmental protections are effectively 'switched off' for this project. Thompson Square is an important part of the shared Australian story and our nation's history. It is a rare, tangible example of our colonial origins. Its survival affects ALL Australians. An alternative, such as a town bypass, must be considered in preference to this disaster. The signatories of this petition therefore urgently call upon the Australian Government to act to protect this nationally important site, to ensure its preservation and protection for future generations.----------------